A 16-year-old schoolboy from Chelmsford has a lot to celebrate after securing a place at a full-time drama school in London.

Josh Hassall, who is currently attending Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, will be taking up a place at PQA Studios London in September after wowing judges at his audition earlier this year.

Actor Pauline Quirke, who is best known for her role as Sharon in the hit BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather, is the brains behind PQA Studios London, a new full-time drama school.

Josh, who auditioned in front of a panel of industry judges to secure his place, will be studying on the two-year Diploma in Performing Arts course, at the end of which, he will be awarded an OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Performing Arts (a Level 3 qualification); the equivalent to three A Levels.

Talking about heading to London to take up her place at PQA Studios London in September, Josh said that the two-year Diploma in Performing Arts appealed to him more than A Levels because he has always wanted to pursue a career as an actor.

He said: “I feel PQA Studios London offers me the best opportunity to achieve my dreams.

“I can’t wait to start the New PQA Studios London. I know that these two years I spend on my extended diploma will be one of the best experiences of my life.

“The feeling I had when I attended my audition was just electric. Thank you, Pauline Quirke, for this amazing opportunity.”

Josh previously attended the Pauline Quirke Academy weekend stage school in Chelmsford.

The new academy is for young performers aged 16 and over and will offer Diploma level and Foundation training in performing arts.

The academy is based in the original Poor School building in Pentonville Road, Kings Cross, which closed last year after three decades, just a stone’s throw from where Pauline herself went to school, and discovered acting, at the age of nine.

Pauline’s team has completely renovated the building, which now has a fully equipped in-house theatre and several large, high spec studio spaces, and it reopens as PQA Studios London in September 2018.

Many of the teachers at the PQA Studios London have all performed in hugely successful West End shows, so Josh will be learning from teaching professionals, who also have the experience of what it is like to be a performer at the top of their game.

Pauline launched her first weekend, non-selective performing arts school 10 years ago with her husband Steve, and there are now 170 of these weekend stage schools across the UK.

The next audition day for entry in September 2018 is June 14.

Applicants must have five GCSEs (grade A* - C) and the audition takes a full day.

Partial and fully-funded scholarships are available.

Information about additional audition days will be added to the website, pqastudios.com when available.